JP4325322B2 - Passenger conveyor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a passenger conveyor, and more particularly to a handrail driving device thereof.

  An example of a driving device that drives a handrail of a passenger conveyor (escalator device) is described in Patent Document 1. In the handrail drive device described in this publication, a rack is formed on a link plate of a chain that connects steps on which passengers ride. The rack is engaged with a driven sprocket provided in the step conveyance path to drive the handrail.

  Another example of a device that drives a handrail of an escalator device is described in Patent Document 2. In the escalator device described in this publication, a roller chain is used as a step chain for moving a step on which a passenger rides. Then, the handrail is driven by engaging the driven sprocket provided in the step conveyance path with the roller portion of the roller chain. Furthermore, a flywheel is provided coaxially with the driven sprocket for low vibration.

JP 61-166492 A

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-226480

  In the passenger conveyor described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to form a rack on a step chain provided over the entire circumference of the passenger conveyor. As a result, the mechanism becomes complicated and expensive. Further, in the passenger rail handrail drive device described in Patent Document 2, the engagement rate between the driven sprocket and the step chain cannot be sufficiently obtained, and thus it may be difficult to drive the handrail smoothly.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems in the prior art, and an object thereof is to reduce vibrations and noises without significantly changing the structure of a conventionally used handrail drive device. Another object of the present invention is to reduce vibration and noise generated in the handrail with a relatively simple mechanism.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a pair of upper and lower sprockets disposed on the ride side and the descending side, a step chain mounted on the pair of sprockets and formed endlessly, A large number of steps connected to the step chain and arranged at substantially the same pitch, a handrail that moves at the same speed as the step, and a handrail drive device that is arranged in a straight part of the step chain and drives the handrail In the passenger conveyor provided, the handrail driving device is provided in an intermediate portion of the passenger conveyor conveyance path, and is located on the upper sprocket side and the lower sprocket side provided on the inner side of the circulating step chain and on the upper end sprocket side. A driving force extraction chain that is wound and stretched between a lower sprocket provided on the upper sprocket and the upper sprocket A sliding member disposed between the upper sprocket and the cross beam so as to be movable in the tensioning direction of the driving force extraction chain, and a spring attached to lift the upper sprocket toward the upper end sprocket A member, a toothed link provided intermittently in the driving force extraction chain and formed based on a travel locus of a roller of the step chain, and the driving force extraction between the upper sprocket and the lower sprocket The chain is attached to the inside lower side of the chain, both ends are arc-shaped with a large radius, the center is a straight shape, and includes a driving force extraction guide for guiding the toothed link, and the step chain The driving force extracting chain is driven by meshing a roller and the toothed link.

Further, in the above, it is preferable that the width of the handrail driving device is shorter than the distance between the longitudinal beam members which are frames.

  As described in detail below, according to the present invention, since the driving force is extracted from the step chain located at the intermediate inclined portion of the passenger conveyor, the driving force is extracted without significantly changing the step chain shape. it can. Further, since the toothed link is attached to the driving force extracting chain and the toothed link is guided by the driving force extracting chain guide, the meshing between the step chain and the driving force extracting chain becomes smooth, and vibration and noise are reduced. As a result, it is possible to prevent passengers from feeling uncomfortable.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a passenger conveyor device (escalator) according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 is a side view of the escalator 30, FIG. 2 is a detailed side view of the handrail drive device 22 used in the escalator shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram of the drive force extraction chain guide 17 of the handrail drive device 22. FIG. 4 is a side view, and FIG. 4 is a creation view of a toothed link 19 used for the driving force extraction chain guide chain guide 17.

  In the escalator 30, the step chain 3 and the driving force extraction chain 16 mesh with each other in a return path section in which the step 11 is circulated and returned after the passenger is conveyed. The escalator 30 connects a large number of steps 11 to the step chain 3 on the lower end side, and forms the end chain in the end chain to form a circulation path for the steps 11. The step 11 is attached to the step chain at a predetermined pitch. The step chain 3 is mounted on the lower end sprocket 2 disposed on the left end side in FIG. 1 and the upper end sprocket 1 disposed on the right end side in FIG. 1 below the escalator 30. The upper end sprocket 1 is driven to circulate by mounting a belt 4b mounted on a pulley 4c attached coaxially to the upper end sprocket 1 on a pulley 4a attached to a traveling drive source (motor) 4.

  A handrail 5 is disposed above the step chain 3 so as to be movable in synchronization with the step chain 3. The handrail 5 is circulated and driven by a handrail drive device 22 installed in the conveyance path of the step 11. The step 11 includes a mounting surface 6 on which a user is mounted and a reinforcing member 10 that reinforces the mounting surface 6. A drive roller 8 and a driven roller 9 are provided at a connecting portion between the step 11 and the step chain 3 so that the step 11 can rotate during the circular movement. The driving roller 8 and the driven roller 9 are alternately arranged, and the driven roller 9 is guided by a driven roller traveling rail 25 provided along the traveling locus of the driven roller 9. The drive roller 8 is guided by a travel rail (not shown) provided along the travel locus of the drive roller 8.

  The handrail drive device 22 is provided in an intermediate portion of the conveying path of the escalator 30, and is located on the inner side of the circulating step chain 13 and on the upper sprocket 1 side and on the lower sprocket 2 side. 15 and a driving force extraction chain 16 that is wound around and stretched between the sprockets 14 and 15. As shown in FIG. 2, a driving force transmission sprocket 26 is provided coaxially with the lower sprocket 15.

  The handrail 5 includes a plurality of handrail driving units 12 provided on the inner side of the circulating handrail 5 and a driving force transmission chain 13 wound between the handrail driving unit 12 and the driving force transmission sprocket 26. The upper sprocket 14 is disposed on the cross beam member 25 </ b> C, which is a strength member of the escalator 30, via the sliding member 20, and is movable in the tension direction of the driving force extraction chain 16.

  In order to control the tension of the driving force extraction chain 16, a spring member 21 is attached between the upper sprocket shaft 14a and the vertical beam member 23B. The spring member 21 pulls the upper sprocket 14 toward the upper end sprocket 1 side. Thereby, a tension is always applied to the driving force extraction chain 16, and the driving force extraction chain 16 always meshes with the step chain 3 without loosening.

  In order to guide the driving force extraction chain 16, a driving force extraction guide 17 is attached between the upper sprocket and the lower sprocket and below the inner side of the driving force extraction chain 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the driving force extraction guide 17 has an arc shape having a large radius at both end portions 17A, and the central portion 17B has a linear shape. The driving force extraction chain guide 17 guides a toothed link 19 provided intermittently on the driving force extraction chain 16. The toothed link 19 begins to gently mesh with the roller 8 of the step chain 3 in the linearly moving portion of the step chain 3 that is circulated. When the driving force extraction chain 16 moves and reaches the central portion 17B of the driving force extraction chain guide 17, the toothed link 19 is firmly engaged with the roller 3k of the step chain 3. Therefore, if the linear part 17B of the driving force extraction chain guide 17 is lengthened, the meshing rate can be increased.

  Here, in the present embodiment, the width W of the handrail drive device 22 is shorter than the distance L between the longitudinal beam members 23A and 23B, which is the frame of the escalator 30, as shown in FIG. The vertical beam members 23A and 23B are provided at substantially the same pitch L. Since the width W of the handrail driving device 22 is shorter than the distance L between the pitches of the vertical beam members, the elevators 30 can be easily arranged in parallel even when the elevator 30 has a high lift and requires a large handrail driving force. it can.

  FIG. 4 shows the trajectories of the three consecutive rollers 3A to 3C of the step chain 3 when the toothed link 19 is fixed and the step chain 3 is moved. This is a travel locus of the intermediate roller 3B and the adjacent rollers 3A and 3C. Based on this locus, the toothed link 19 is formed. As is apparent from the figure, the roller 3A that has been meshed with the roller 3B that is disposed on both sides of the roller 3B that meshes with the toothed link 19 and the roller 3C that will mesh with each other form gaps g1 and g2 between the toothed link 19 respectively. Therefore, the non-engaged rollers 3A and 3C do not interfere with the toothed link 19. In FIG. 4, the trajectory when the roller approaches is shown, but when the roller moves away, the trajectory of the roller is reversed left and right.

  The toothed link 19 suppresses a reaction force generated on the tooth surface of the toothed link 19 when the meshing of the stepped chain 3 starts to engage with the center roller 3B and the roller 3B moves away from the toothed link 19. Thereby, the toothed link 19 and the step chain 13 mesh smoothly. Since the meshing of the toothed link 19 and the step chain 13 is smooth, vibrations and noise that cause discomfort to the passenger are reduced.

  FIG. 5 shows an example in which the handrail drive device 22 is arranged in the middle part of the elevator, and the tension acting on the step chain 3 is calculated when no passenger is on board. The tension distribution of the step chain 3 varies depending on the meshing method and the operation direction. In the conventional escalator, the tension of the step chain 3 is minimum at the upper end a and the lower end e of the lower end sprocket 2 and is maximum due to the step weight of the upper end b and lower end c of the upper end sprocket 1. The tension of the step chain 3 at the positions a and e is Ft, and the driving force of the handrail 5 is Fd. When the tension Ft of the step chain 3 becomes negative, the adjacent steps 3 collide with each other. If Fd <Ft, the handrail driving device 22 can be arranged at any position in the step conveyance path. In the case of Fd> Ft, the handrail drive device 22 must be arranged at a position where the tension of the step chain 3 is not negative.

  FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show the relationship between the position of the spring member 21 and the difference between the meshing methods that affect the tension of the driving force extraction chain 16. FIG. 6 shows a case where there are no passengers, and FIG. 7 shows a case where there are passengers. When there is no passenger, the spring force when pulling the upper sprocket 14 with the spring member 21 to apply tension to the driving force extraction chain 16 may be equal to or greater than the weight of the upper sprocket 16. On the other hand, when there is a passenger, the load of the passenger reduces the tension of the drive chain 13 (indicated as “−passenger load” in FIG. 7), so the spring force of the spring member 21 needs to be at least the maximum passenger load.

  Therefore, as the number of passengers increases, the tension of the drive chain 13 decreases due to the passenger's own weight, so the tension of the drive chain 13 becomes maximum when there is no passenger. For this reason, it is necessary to apply a large tension in advance even when there is no load. This form is not preferable because it causes an increase in the size of the passenger conveyor. In the forward meshing method, it is preferable that the lower sprocket 15 is movable and the spring member 21 is installed on the lower sprocket 12. On the contrary, in the backward meshing method, it is preferable that the upper sprocket 14 is movable and the spring member 21 is installed on the upper sprocket 14.

  In the above embodiment, the upper sprocket 14 is disposed on the cross beam portion 23C via the sliding member 20, but other parallel moving means using rollers or the like may be used instead of the sliding member 20. Further, although the upper sprocket 14 is pulled by the spring member 21 to apply tension to the driving force extraction chain 16, the driving force extraction chain 16 is pressed against the driving force extraction chain 16 on the forward path side to press the driving force extraction chain 16. A tension may be applied to 16. Furthermore, the handrail 5 can be driven even if the step chain 3 and the driving force extraction chain 16 are meshed only in the forward section where the passenger is placed or in the forward and return sections.

  Another embodiment of the handrail drive device 22 of the escalator 30 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. In this embodiment, unlike the above embodiment, the step chain 3 has a roller 24 built in the link coupling position of the chain. As this roller built-in chain is adopted, a toothed link 19a whose shape is created in detail in FIG. 9 is attached to the driving force extraction chain 16a for each link member 16b.

  In FIG. 9, the toothed link 19 a is fixed and the roller 24 is moved to create a tooth shape. By using this tooth shape, the toothed link 19a starts to engage with the roller 24 of the step chain 3 and the reaction force generated on the tooth surface of the toothed link 19a when the roller 24 moves away from the toothed link 19a. Hold down. Therefore, vibrations and noise that cause a smooth engagement and give passengers an unpleasant feeling are reduced.

  According to the present embodiment, even if the step chain 3x is a roller built-in chain, the low-vibration handrail drive device 22 can be easily realized simply by changing the shape of the toothed link 19a. Further, according to the present embodiment, since the roller built-in chain is used, it is possible to realize an escalator that is low in noise and narrow in the frame width direction. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the handrail driving device 22 shown in each of the above embodiments can be applied to a moving walkway without the kick plate 7 and having no inclination angle or a gentle inclination angle.

The side view of one Example of the elevator apparatus which concerns on this invention. The side view of the handrail drive device used for the elevator apparatus shown in FIG. The side view of the extraction chain guide which a handrail drive device has. The figure explaining creation of the toothed link used for the step chain guide which a handrail drive device has. The table | surface explaining the relationship between the driving | running direction of an elevator apparatus, and a meshing method. The figure explaining the relationship between the spring member installation position in the handrail apparatus which concerns on this invention, and a meshing method. The table explaining the relationship between the spring member installation position and the meshing method in the handrail drive device according to the present invention. The side view of the other Example of the handrail drive device of the elevator apparatus which concerns on this invention. The figure explaining creation of the toothed link used for the handrail drive device shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Upper end sprocket, 2 ... Lower end sprocket, 3 ... Step chain, 3A, 3B, 3C ... Chain roller, 4 ... Driving drive source, 5 ... Hand rail, 6 ... Mounting surface, 7 ... Kick plate, 8 ... Drive roller , 9 ... driven roller, 10 ... reinforcing member, 11 ... step, 12 ... handrail drive unit, 13 ... driving force transmission chain, 14 ... upper sprocket, 15 ... lower sprocket, 16 ... driving force extraction chain, 17 ... driving force Extraction chain guide, 17A ... straight portion, 17B ... circular arc portion, 18 ... stepped chain guide, 19 ... toothed link, 20 ... slip member, 21 ... spring member, 22 ... handrail drive device, 23A, 23B ... longitudinal beam material , 24 ... rollers, 25 ... driven roller travel rails, 26 ... driving force transmission sprockets.

Claims (2)

A pair of upper and lower sprockets arranged on the ride side and descending side, a step chain mounted on the pair of sprockets and formed endlessly, and connected to the step chain and arranged at substantially equal pitches In a passenger conveyor provided with a large number of steps, a handrail that moves at the same speed as the steps, and a handrail drive device that is arranged in a straight part of the step chain and drives the handrail ,
The handrail driving device is provided in an intermediate portion of the passenger conveyor conveyance path,
A driving force extraction chain that is wound and stretched between an upper sprocket provided on the upper sprocket side and a lower sprocket provided on the lower sprocket side inside the step chain that circulates;
A sliding member disposed between the upper sprocket and a cross beam so as to allow the upper sprocket to move in the stretching direction of the driving force extraction chain;
A spring member attached so as to pull up the upper sprocket toward the upper end sprocket;
A toothed link provided intermittently in the driving force extraction chain and formed based on a travel locus of a roller of the step chain;
Between the upper sprocket and the lower sprocket and attached to the lower side inside the driving force extraction chain, both ends are arc-shaped with a large radius, the center is a straight shape, and the toothed link A driving force extraction guide to guide,
A passenger conveyor, wherein the driving force extraction chain is driven by meshing a roller of the step chain and the toothed link. 2. The passenger conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the width of the handrail driving device is shorter than the distance between the longitudinal beam members which are frames .

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